Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Lulea and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,885 in Lulea versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,023 in Lulea versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,161 in Lulea versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Lulea is roughly 28% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lulea 41% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.89 SEK 120
$13.18 MX$228
-2.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.8 SEK 875
$53.9 MX$932
73.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.01 SEK 112
$9.42 MX$163
27.49%
Cappuccino
$4.65 SEK 43.39
$3.55 MX$61.4
30.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 SEK 23.88
$1.62 MX$27.98
58.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 SEK 19.25
$1.11 MX$19.27
85.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.46 SEK 78.9
$3.12 MX$54.0
171.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.98 SEK 93.2
$4.63 MX$80.1
115.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 SEK 18.02
$1.70 MX$29.43
13.53%
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 SEK 33.15
$2.72 MX$47.02
30.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.02 SEK 46.86
$1.91 MX$33.07
162.83%
Eggs
$4.95 SEK 46.21
$2.54 MX$43.86
94.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.91 SEK 120
$10.03 MX$174
28.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.97 SEK 130
$8.09 MX$140
72.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.38 SEK 255
$11.62 MX$201
135.63%
Apples (1kg)
$2.69 SEK 25.13
$2.97 MX$51.3
-9.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.80 SEK 26.15
$1.81 MX$31.24
54.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 SEK 24.49
$2.01 MX$34.82
30.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 SEK 42.17
$2.03 MX$35.20
122.66%
Potato (1kg)
$2.18 SEK 20.33
$2.12 MX$36.75
2.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 SEK 15.26
$2.27 MX$39.25
-27.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.42 SEK 31.88
$1.40 MX$24.22
144.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 SEK 13.53
$1.13 MX$19.55
28.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.45 SEK 69.5
$4.27 MX$73.9
74.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.66 SEK 118
$15.56 MX$269
-18.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 SEK 17.10
$1.76 MX$30.39
3.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 SEK 16.77
$3.60 MX$62.2
-50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.36 SEK 31.39
$0.38 MX$6.62
784.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.1 SEK 561
$19.18 MX$332
213.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.53 SEK 88.9
$1.38 MX$23.79
590.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 SEK 16.00
$0.28 MX$4.78
510.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$75.1 SEK 700
$5.45 MX$94.2
1277.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.89 SEK 17.60
$1.30 MX$22.55
45.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.0K SEK 298.4K
$18.7K MX$323.2K
71.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K SEK 325.5K
$23.1K MX$400.1K
50.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 SEK 1,627
$40.86 MX$707
326.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.07 SEK 309
$26.81 MX$464
23.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.42 SEK 265
$29.96 MX$518
-5.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.17 SEK 459
$52.0 MX$900
-5.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.67 SEK 342
$26.84 MX$464
36.62%
Cinema Ticket
$13.75 SEK 128
$6.30 MX$109
118.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$159 SEK 1,481
$436 MX$7,544
-63.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,764 SEK 53.8K
$10.4K MX$180.2K
-44.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$125 SEK 1,168
$56.7 MX$980
121.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.73 SEK 315
$44.38 MX$768
-24.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$126 SEK 1,175
$103 MX$1,780
22.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$172 SEK 1,605
$106 MX$1,825
63.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$791 SEK 7,376
$1,022 MX$17.7K
-22.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$578 SEK 5,395
$631 MX$10.9K
-8.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,413 SEK 13.2K
$2,136 MX$36.9K
-33.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,053 SEK 9,824
$1,243 MX$21.5K
-15.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,337 SEK 31.1K
$3,903 MX$67.5K
-14.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,379 SEK 22.2K
$2,064 MX$35.7K
15.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lulea
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,732 SEK 25.5K
$1,115 MX$19.3K
145.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.2
11.34
-62.96%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lulea: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $791 in Lulea and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lulea pays 145% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $94.0 in Lulea vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 vs $288 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Lulea vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lulea or Mexico City?
Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Lulea. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lulea or Mexico City?
Lulea pays 145% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lulea vs Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $791 in Lulea versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Lulea or Mexico City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Lulea. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Lulea vs Mexico City?
Dining out is cheaper in Mexico City – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $94.0 in Lulea. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lulea or Mexico City?
At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,885 in Lulea, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Lulea. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lulea or Mexico City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.
How safe is Lulea compared to Mexico City?
Safety-wise, Lulea and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Lulea. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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